MILLIONAIRES WILL

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1929, Page 6

MILLIONAIRES WILL

A SORRY DOCUMENT

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegrapn.—Copyright .)

„j CAPETOWN, • Nov. 7.

The .will of Sir J. 15. Robinson, tlie pioneer ]of the Rand Goldfields, who died last week, is published. The estate is .believed to be worth twelve millions terling, and not one penny was left to any public purpose. -The principal beneficiaries are his daughter, .Ida, Countess-Labia, who inherits one-third of the -estate, as well as the reversionary interests; secondly his sou, the new Baronet, Sir Joseph Robinson, who receives two-thirds of one-third; and thirdly, one-third of the estate goes to his daughter Florence. His widow, Lady Robinson, receives a life interest- in one-third of the estate.

'The will allots £IOOO to one daughter residing in England, and £SOO each to two children of his son, Wilfred, who: died in Australia in 1922, the will adding: “And no further amount of capital shall accrue to them, cither directly or indirectly.”

The “Cape Times,” commenting on the will, declares;. It offends against ordinary human dcency in two ways, first, in throwing, contemptuous legacies at the heads of one surviving daughter and two grand-children. The paper adds? '“No warning of the depth of contempt, whic-'h these vindictively.’ minute legacies" to- his own flesh and blood would bring upon his own memory, seems to have visited this old man. His eyes were shut during his lifetime, and after his death his will speaks'out the almost incredible evil ■of hifwbiature. That is one way wh’efeiir his will stinks to heaven It stinks!' to’oy against public decency. Robinson owed the whole of his immense fortune‘to his chances of life in 'South Africa, and he has not left one penny of all his millions to any public purpose. Such a will carries the dreadful penalty of branding tlie name of the man who made it with an infamy so conspicuous as to transcend the highest pinnacle of .indignant scorn. Those who. in future, may acquire great wealth in South Africa, will shudder lest their memory should come within possible risk of rivalling the loathy thing that " ‘is the memory of Sir Joseph Robinson'.”